Have you run your bath water only to realise its ice cold? Have you jumped in the shower and been sprayed by cold water? If so, chances are you have a problem with your homes hot water system. Don’t stress, there are a few basic things you can try yourself prior to calling a plumber. If you have a natural or propane gas water system, chances are the pilot has gone out. The pilot is a small flame that ignites the gas burner on your system. When it goes out, first try relighting it, following the directions on the label, which is often on the front of the system. If the pilot doesn’t relight, or if it goes out right after lighting, by far the most common cause is a broken thermocouple. The good news: you can usually replace a thermocouple for minimal cost and in less than an hour from a local hardware. You’ll get your hot water going without waiting for a pro to show up and save a few dollars!

To replace the thermocouple, be sure to turn off the shutoff valve in the gas line; that is, one quarter turn so that the handle is at a right angle to the pipe. Since working room is tight around the burner, we recommend that you simply unscrew the three nuts at the control valve and pull out the entire burner assembly unit. You’ll see either a slot or clips that hold it in its place. Then either unscrew the thermocouple end or pull it out (depending on the water heater) and take it with you to hardware store to find a match. Position it exactly the same way as the old one. The pilot flame should wrap around the thermocouple bulb.

To reattach the three lines to the gas valve, thread the nuts into place with your fingers and hand-tighten them properly. Then snug them up with a quarter to half revolution with a wrench. The metals are soft, so don’t over tighten as they will break.

Be sure to test for gas leaks. You must have the pilot lit and the burner on for this test so that gas is flowing through the large tube on the system. Reopen the shutoff valve, relight the pilot, then turn the control valve to the “on” position. When the gas burner is on, use a 50/50 dish soap/water mix to test the screw joints for air bubbles that indicate leaks.

Melbourne 24 Hour Plumbing came out to my home on a Sunday evening. They came out within the hour and fixed my blocked drain. Great work and a good price. Thanks guys!

Michael - Cheltenham

Courteous technicians who arrive on time! I appreciated the way you run your business.

Brian - Louies Deli & Cafe, Malvern

On Saturday night I had a burst pipe and I didn’t know what to do, Melbourne 24 Hour Plumbing came within an hour and saved me from a lot of headache. Thank you.

Jonty Gold, Caulfield

Excellent Service, will definitely use again and recommend. Better than Others!!!

Darren -Planet Chocolate Southland

Emergency on Easter Sunday morning - the plumber resolved matter more quickly than I had expected. Superb service.

Romy Donner, Elsternwick

We had a burst pipe on the evening of New Years Day, and I picked your company on Google to call out to repair it.
I just wanted to let you know how impressed we were with your plumber, Don. He was so helpful and the advice and assistance he gave was invaluable. I would have no hesitation in recommending your services to friends and family."

Lynne Clairing, Dingley

Thanks for a great job. Melbourne 24 Hour Plumbing did the work very well and we are thrilled to have a good sink finally working.